Allardyce bemoans West Ham home form

08 March 2012 08:47

Sam Allardyce was left frustrated by another misfiring performance at home as West Ham blew the chance to go top of the npower Championship.

The Hammers, needing a win to leapfrog leaders Southampton, dominated against lowly Watford only to fall behind to a deflected second-half strike from teenager Sean Murray. They were grateful to an 87th-minute equaliser from Ricardo Vaz Te which salvaged a 1-1 draw, but have now dropped 19 points at home this season.

Manager Allardyce admitted: "We just can't seem to find the cutting edge here at Upton Park. We haven't shown enough quality to see off Watford and we almost paid the price."

He added: "Watford are a stubborn unit, but you have to accept that and based on chances missed it's disappointing. If you are not clinical it's a struggle and we nearly ended up losing this one.

"At least we had the ability and desire to claw it back to 1-1."

Watford had to survive nine minutes of stoppage time, including a penalty appeal for handball against Carl Dickinson, after a nasty head injury to Dale Bennett. The Hornets defender was stretchered off in a neck brace after a clash of heads with team-mate John Eustace and taken to hospital.

Happily, manager Sean Dyche revealed that doctors suspect the injury is not as serious as it first looked.

Dyche also felt Carlton Cole had fouled Dickinson in the build-up to West Ham's equaliser.

He said: "It's a good result in a sense that we are realistic, coming to a place like this with the players and finances that we can only dream about.

"We knew we were in for a tough task but we believe in what we do and that was on show. The tinge of disappointment is that their goal is a foul, anywhere else on the pitch it's given."

Source: PA